Containment device for safely removing, storing and ultimately disposing of needles from hypodermic needle/syringe assemblies

ABSTRACT

A needle removal and storage device for removing needles from hypodermic needle/syringe assemblies and automatically receiving and safely storing removed needles within the device. The device includes a storage/containment member closed at one end and proportioned to receive used needles, and a top assembly at the open end of the storage/containment member which provides an opening to receive a needle in its hub portion. The top assembly is provided with a pair of grasping members mounted to generally opposite sides of the storage/containment member at its open end. The grasping members are adapted to receive the needle hub portion of a needle/syringe assembly and grasp the hub portion when squeezed together to permit removal of the needle from the syringe. The storage/containment member is generally flexible and resilient at its open end to permit the grasping members to be squeezed together so as to constrict the opening in the top assembly and grasp the needle hub at its ribbed portion for removal of the needle from the syringe, yet resiliently bias the grasping members away from each other after the grasping force is released to allow the needle to drop vertically into the storage/containment member, needle point first. The device further includes a closure member formed integrally with one of the grasping members via a living hinge-type connection. The closure member is adapted to releasably engage the other grasping member so as to hold the closure member securely closed over the open end of the storage/containment member when the device is not being used for removal of a needle.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to devices for safely removingthe needle portions from hypodermic needle/syringe assemblies, and, moreparticularly, to a device which enables safe removal of needles fromneedle/syringe assemblies and also automatically provides safe storageof the needles until the entire device, needles and all, are transmittedfor ultimate disposal, substantially without risk of puncture by orcontact with the needles during removal, storage or disposal.

With the widespread use of disposable medical implements, particularlyhypodermic needles, a definite need has developed for ways to safelyhandle and dispose of such implements after use without risk of exposingany person handling the devices to injury, infection or disease bypuncture or contact with the used needle. The tragic outbreak of thehighly contagious AIDS disease has dramatically highlighted the need forsafer handling, storage and disposal of such implements.

In the case of disposable hypodermic needles, it had once been commonpractice to break or cut the needle portions after use before discardingthe needle and syringe. The purpose of this procedure was to reduce thesize of the overall needle/syringe assembly and to eliminate the sharppoint from the needle to reduce the risk of puncture, scratching orother injury which might otherwise result from handling. In breaking orcutting the needles, however, a substantial danger existed thataccidental puncture might occur during the breaking or cuttingoperation, thus exposing the holder to possible injury and, further, topossible infection or disease as a result of such puncture In addition,residual medication in the needle can splatter onto the person or hisclothes, and, potentially harmful fumes from the residual medicationcould be inhaled as a result of the so-called aerosol effect.Furthermore, the blades of the cutting tool are now recognized as abreeding ground for germs, bacteria and other disease-causingmicro-organisms to which an unsuspecting person cutting the needle couldbe unnecessarily exposed.

Recently, an even greater danger has been recognized in connection withthe handling and disposal of used needles as well as other sharp medicalimplements. It is now recognized that certain diseases, most notablyHepatitis B, can be transmitted by covert percutaneous--i.e., by merelycontacting the contaminated needle or implement.

As a result of the foregoing dangers, it is preferred current practiceto dispose of such devices intact, without dismantling them. However, indisposing of the whole hypodermic needle and syringe, the used needleswere sometimes recapped before disposal with the same protective sheathsthat were used during shipment from the manufacturer. The resheathingwas intended to prevent possible injury while a person carries theneedles to a suitable disposal unit. This practice itself, however, canresult in accidental puncture or contact while the needle point is beingresheathed. Because of this danger it is now recommended by the CenterFor Disease Control ("C.D.C.") that needles not be resheathed after use.

Although certain proposals have been advanced for eliminating some ofthe risks involved in the handling, storage and disposal of hypodermicneedles and other sharp medical implements, they do not necessarilyovercome all of the dangers. In fact, they themselves can become thesource of other problems. For example, there are several speciallydesigned containers for storing used hypodermic needles, at least one ofwhich includes a "starburst" type opening through which the needle andsyringe assemblies is passed into the container. However, the flapscreated by the starburst opening can become a breeding ground for germsor infection due to the constant contact with the used needles. In otherwhole-needle disposal devices, there are generally no means fordetermining when the device is filled.

Although I have invented certain disposal devices (previously sold underthe mark "D.D. Box" by D.D. Box, Inc. of Paterson, New Jersey and nowsold by the American Hospital Supply Company) which overcome theforegoing and other dangers, there may still be instances where adisposal device for the whole needle/syringe assembly is not desired.For example, in emergency rooms, the urgency of a particular emergencysituation may not permit time to seek out an appropriate disposal unitfor the used needle/syringe assembly. In the absence of an immediatelyavailable disposal device it is likely that the used needle could beleft lying unattended and unsecured, or an attempt might be made toresheath the needle. In either event, these are substantial risks ofaccidental puncture by or contact with contaminated needles.

Another place where a large disposal device might not be desired is in adoctor's office or in a home where persons inoculate themselves. A largecapacity disposal unit may be impractical or undesirable because usedimplements would lay around too long before the device is filled anddisposed of.

One approach for overcoming the foregoing difficulties involves removalof the needle from its syringe so that the syringe can be discarded withordinary trash or refuse, while the needle (which is the only parthaving a significant risk of contamination) is placed in a storagereceptacle until it can be properly disposed of. One device forpracticing this method is sold under the name "SHARPStainer" by WinfieldCorp. of San Diego Calif. This device includes a jar-like container witha snap-on lid to which is mounted a plier-like device for grasping aneedle hub and unscrewing it from the syringe. When the plier-likedevice is opened, the needle falls into the jar. Although such devicemay provide adequate results, it still suffers several drawbacks. Forexample, it is relatively complicated and expensive to fabricate and theplier-like device can be broken off. The plier-like tool is also aseparate member which must be molded and affixed to the jar top, therebyadding to the fabrication and assembly costs. The device is notconvenient to carry around, and, it must be placed on a flat surface forsuccessful operation which is still somewhat awkward to perform.

Another similar device is the "SHARPS COLLECTOR" sold by BectonDickinson and Company of Rutherford, New Jersey. This device, too,includes a jar-like container with a snap-on lid. The lid furtherincludes a separate disc-like member rotatably seated in the lid toallow circular movement when a needle is inserted into a slot formed inthe disc and turned, plus, a separate cover member for closing thedevice. This device is relatively complicated to fabricate and assembleand must be placed on a flat surface for successful operation. Thus, itdoes not lend itself to convenient use (for example, the cover membermust be snapped on and off each time the device is to be used) and thedevice cannot be conveniently carried around.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a newand improved device for safely handling used hypodermic needles. It isanother object of the present invention to provide a new and improveddevice for safely handling used hypodermic needles, which provides bothfor safe and convenient removal of the needle from a needle/syringeassembly and for storage of the needles in a safe and durable receptacleuntil ultimate disposal can be made. It is also an object of theinvention to provide such a device which is sturdy and constructed so asto be resistant to puncture by the needles stored therein, yet permitsconvenient and complete disposal of the needles together with thedevice.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a new and improveddevice for removal of needles from needle/syringe assemblies, and forsubsequent safe storage of the removed needles, which prevents needlesstored therein from falling out after they have been removed. It isanother object of the invention to provide such a device which can beconveniently discarded in a larger storage/disposal device for usedhypodermic needles or other disposable medical implements in anappropriate disposal facility. In addition, it is a further object ofthe invention to provide such a device for removing and storing needlesfrom needle/syringe assembles, which is easily assemblable fromcomponent parts which are made by conventional fabrication techniquessuch as injection molding and extrusion processes.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved device for removing needles from needle/syringe assemblies, andfor subsequent storage of the separated needles, which is compact, andcan be conveniently carried by medical personnel on their rounds. It issimilarly an object of the invention to provide such a device which canbe conveniently used in doctor offices or emergency rooms or in thehomes of persons who give themselves injections of medications withneedle assemblies having removable needles.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a new andimproved device for removing needles from needle/syringe assemblies, andfor subsequent safe storage of the separated needles, which includesreliable grasping means for securely grasping the needle hub to ensurereliable removal of the needle in a safe and relatively simpleoperation. It is a further object of the invention to provide such adevice which provides for automatic storage of the needle once removedfrom the syringe portion simply by release of the grip imposed by thedevice on the needle hub. It is yet another object of the invention toprovide such a device for removal and storage of hypodermic needleswhich permits ready identification of the filled condition.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a new andimproved device for removing needles from needle/syringe assemblies, andfor subsequent safe storage of the separated needles, which can becarried in a shirt pocket or on a belt without danger of accidentalpuncture by or contact with needles stored therein. It is also an objectof the invention to provide a device of the foregoing type which isadapted to permit relatively simple but secure closure of the deviceafter each use and after it is filled to permit safe transport to theplace of ultimate disposal

The foregoing specific objects and advantages of the invention areillustrative of those which can be achieved by the present invention andare not intended to be exhaustive or limiting of the possible advantageswhich can be realized. Thus, these and other objects and advantages ofthe invention will be apparent from the description herein or can belearned from practicing the invention, both as embodied herein or asmodified in view of any variations which may be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention resides in thenovel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvementsherein shown and described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly described, the present invention comprises a device for theremoval and storage, and ultimately, the disposal of the needle portionof a hypodermic needle/syringe assembly, which includes a relativelycompact containment member adapted to store a plurality of needlesseparated from their syringe members and a top assembly mounted to thecontainment member for providing both a closure for the opening of thedevice and grasping means for grasping the needles to perform theremoval operation. As preferably embodied, the containment member is agenerally tubular member made from a relatively flexible material. Thetubular containment member is closed at one end but open at the other,and the top assembly includes a pair of reciprocating grasping/closuremembers (hereinafter identified simply as "grasping members") mounted tothe open end for enabling a person to grasp the hub of a needle betweenthe grasping members simply by squeezing them together yet allow theneedle to drop into the containment member when the person releases thegrip on the grasping members. Advantageously, one of the graspingmembers includes a top cover which is hingedly mounted to the graspingmember for closing off the open end of the containment member (and anyspacing between the grasping members) when the device is not being used,but can be easily rotated to an open position when the device is to beused for needle removal. Advantageously, the top cover includesreleasable locking means which snap closed when the cover is pushed downyet release relatively easily when use of the device is desired.

As preferably embodied, the containment member comprises a tube made ofa generally flexible and resilient plastic material, and the graspingmembers are mounted on opposite sides of the open end of the tube sothat the device automatically returns to its original tubularconfiguration as a result of the resilience of the tube material. Alsoas preferably embodied, the grasping members include oppositely disposedjaw-like segments for securely grasping a needle hub to be removed whensqueezed together by a person using the device. The two grasping membersadvantageously have interfitting guide means for proper horizontalalignment of the grasping members during the hub-grasping andneedle-removal operations to ensure reliable grip of the needle hubthroughout these operations.

As preferably embodied, the guide means are in the form of a pair ofprojecting arm members on one grasping member and a pair ofcorrespondingly proportioned recesses formed in the other, toaccommodate slidable reciprocating relative movement of the graspingmembers. Advantageously, the arm members and recesses overlap each othereven when the device is not being used for needle removal (i.e., when inits original, unsqueezed tubular configuration) to minimize the size ofthe opening created between the two grasping members. Furtheradvantageously, one of the grasping members (preferably, the one withthe pair of arm members) includes a pair of projecting leg members tomaintain vertical alignment when the device in being used for needleremoval to ensure that the grasping members do not jump out of alignmentwhile a person is conducting the needle removal. The resultant two pairsof forks formed by the arm and leg members slidably receive the top wallof the other grasping member to maintain the same relative verticalalignment.

Also advantageously and as preferably embodied, the closure top isformed integrally as part of one of the grasping members and coupledthereto by a living hinge. A locking mechanism is advantageously formedbetween the closure top and the other grasping member for keeping theclosure top secured when not in active use. In addition, a clip membermay be formed on one of said grasping members for hanging the devicefrom a person's pocket, belt or other portion of a garment. Furtheradvantageously, a cup-like stand member may be provided to receive thetubular device and hold the device upright while, e.g., a person carriesinitial insertion of a needle point into the device, without requiringthe device to be held in a person's hand, as recommended by C.D.C.

It will thus be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the objectsand advantages specifically recited herein are achieved by the presentinvention as briefly described above and as more fully disclosedhereinafter. Thus, for example, by providing a device which, in aunitary structure, combines a hub-grasping means for separating a needlefrom its syringe and a containment member for receiving the needles itwill be found that the handling of used hypodermic needle assembliesprior to complete disposal is relatively simple, convenient and safe.Similarly, by providing a tube-like containment member, the needleremoval and storage device according to the invention is relativelycompact and can be conveniently carried by medical personnel for readyuse under virtually all circumstances, particularly in emergencysituations. In addition, the tubular containment member provides forcompact, vertical, side-by-side accumulation and storage of needles.

It will also be found that the needle removal/storage device accordingto the present invention requires relatively few parts to be assembled.The component parts can be fabricated by relatively conventionalfabrication techniques (e.g., extrusion techniques for the tubing andinjection molding techniques for the grasping members and the end plugwhich can be used to form the closed end of the preferred tubularcontainment member). The parts can be easily assembled without the needof adhesives or other fastening means for relatively low cost. Moreover,when filled, the device can be disposed of, in tact, with the removedneedles stored therein.

By providing overlapping or interfitting guide means on the graspingmembers, a secure grasping of the needle hub by one hand is assured. Inaddition, a sufficient opening is provided to permit insertion of aneedle and needle hub between the grasping members, yet the opening sizeis minimized for otherwise preventing access to the needles stored inthe containment member.

Since the needles separated from their syringes are stored in the devicewith their needle tips pointing toward the closed end of the tube, thereis virtually no chance that a needle point will protrude from theopening to risk accidental puncture. Further, by using the preferredrelatively small-diameter tubular containment member for storing theremoved needles, they will remain vertically aligned with their pointsfacing the closed end.

By providing an integrally formed closure top, removed needles cannotfall out of the storage member once the top is closed. In addition, byforming the tube from at least a translucent material, it is easy todetermine when the storage member is filled.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoingbrief description and the following detailed description are exemplaryand explanatory of the invention, but are not intended to be restrictivethereof or limiting of the advantages which can be achieved by theinvention. Thus, the accompanying drawings, referred to herein andconstituting a part hereof, illustrate preferred embodiments of theinvention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explainthe principles of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a preferred embodiment of aneedle removal/storage device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of one of the grasping members shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the other grasping members shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 1, showing thepreferred interfitting between the two grasping members

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the top portion of the device shown inFIG. 1, illustrating initial insertion of a needle during the needleremoval operation.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 (except the entire device isdepicted) illustrating how the needle removal operation is completed.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the preferred saw-tooth grasping meansengaging the hub of a needle to be removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Turning now to the accompanying drawings wherein like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout the various views, there isshown in FIGS. 1-6, a preferred embodiment of a needle removal/storagedevice (indicated generally at 10) according to the present invention.

As here embodied, the needle removal/storage device includes a generallytubular storage or containment member 12 which is closed at one end andopen at the other end. Advantageously and for ease and low cost offabrication, the tubular containment member 12 may simply comprise arelatively small-diameter (e.g., 1"-13/4") tube section 13 which has ahollow, cup-like end cap 14 installed at one end to form the closed endof the tube. As preferably embodied, tube 13 is made by cutting sectionsfrom an "endless" extruded tube made of a flexible and resilient plasticmaterial such as polyvinyl chloride to ensure that the tube continuallyreturns to its original cylindrical configuration, even after repeatedsqueezing, as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In order to insure that end cap 14 cannot easily be removed, it ispreferred that the end cap forms a tight friction fit with the interiorwalls of tube 13 and is recessed completely within the bottom edges ofthe tube section so that it has no readily accessible surface areas topermit removal from the tube. In addition, by relying on the tightfriction fit between end cap 14 and the tube section 13, it will beappreciated that assembly of the containment member 12 can be easilyaccomplished simply by force fitting the end cap into one end of thetube section without requiring any complicated fasteners or anyadhesive, thereby simplifying assembly. To enhance the friction fit, endcap 14 may include circumferentially extending ribs 14a. However, forease of molding, ribs 14a can be eliminated so long as the centerdiameter of end cap 14 is proportioned to provide a snug friction fitwithin tube 13.

According to the invention, a closure assembly (indicated generally at16) is mounted to the open end of tube 13 and is adapted both to closeoff the other end of the tube member and to grasp the hub of the needleportion of a hypodermic needle/syringe assembly for removal of theneedle. Thus, as preferably embodied, the closure assembly 16 includes apair of cooperating oppositely disposed jaw-like members which areadapted to grasp the hub of a needle to permit the needle to beseparated from the syringe.

As here embodied, the closure assembly comprises a pair of graspingmembers (16a, 16b) mounted to the open end of the tube section 13 andoperatively associated with each other to grasp the hub of a needle tobe separated from its syringe. Advantageously, each grasping member isadapted for secure mounting to the tube end without requiring adhesives,screws or other separate fastening means to simplify assembly. To thisend, each grasping member includes a generally arcuate wall section(18a, 18b) proportioned to conform generally to the interiorconfiguration of the tube portion 13. It will be understood that arcuatewalls 18a and 18b should extend less than a full semi-circle to permitsufficient reciprocating movement of the grasping members to grasp aneedle hub, as will become more evident from the description below.

Each grasping member also includes a second wall member (20a, 20b)spaced from the arcuate wall sections (18a and 18b respectively) by adistance preferably equal to, or slightly greater than, the thickness ofthe wall making up tube 13. When the grasping members are mounted to theopen end of tube 13, segments of the tube wall are thus sandwichedbetween each pair of wall members (i.e., arcuate walls 18a and 18b andsecond walls 20a and 20b, respectively).

In order to secure the grasping members 16a, 16b to the free end of tube13 without the need for adhesive or separate fasteners (and therebyminimizing the number of parts needed to assemble the device), one ofthe wall members on each of the grasping members is formed with arivet-like projection (22a, 22b) which is proportioned to lockablyengage an opening 24 formed on opposite sides of tube 13. Lockingprojections 22a and 22b preferably project inwardly of tube 13 from wallmembers 20a and 20b, respectively, so as not to be accessible from theexterior of the device and thereby prevent a person from breaking themoff and removing the grasping members to expose needles stored in thedevice.

As here embodied, projections 22a and 22b are each formed with a reduceddiameter neck portion at its point of attachment to wall members 20a and20b so as to define a relatively enlarged head which will become lockedwithin the apertures 24 formed in the tube once pushed through theapertures That is, the projection head is forced through the openinguntil the reduced diameter neck resides within the opening; thethickened head portion will thus lock the grasping member in place. Tothis end, the diameter of the head portion is preferably slightlygreater than the diameter of openings 24 to ensure that once forcedthrough the openings, the head portion will resist any reverse forcetending to push it back through the opening. Although the second walls20a and 20b could also be formed in an arcuate configuration, it hasbeen found that a straight wall segment works satisfactorily, is easierto form and economizes on material. As will be described more fullyhereinafter, the straight wall sections 20a and 20b are preferablysomewhat elongated to facilitate grasping by an operator's fingers whenthe grasping members are urged towards each other during the needleremoval operation.

As indicated above, the grasping members provide cooperating jaw membersfor grasping the needle hub so that it can be unscrewed from thehypodermic syringe. Advantageously and as here preferably embodied, thegrasping members also include interfitting guide means which cooperateto keep the jaw sections properly aligned relative to each other andassure a secure grip on the needle hub. To this end, one of the graspingmembers (here, member 16a) includes top wall member (indicated generallyat 25) having a pair of recessed portions (each indicated at 26) whichare formed on its upper surface and proportioned to permit slidableengagement with the other grasping member. The other grasping member(here, member 16b) includes a top wall member (indicated generally at27) which is formed with a pair of correspondingly shaped recessedportions (each indicated at 28) formed on its bottom surface forpermitting reciprocating slidable engagement with recessed portions 26.

Member 16b also includes a slot (indicated at 30) which thus forms apair of projecting arms 29, with grasping teeth 32 (to be described morefully below) formed at the base of the slot 30. Correspondingly,recessed portions 26 formed in top wall 25 of member 16a provide araised shoulder (indicated at 34) which is proportioned to fit withinslot 30 during reciprocal slidable movement of the two grasping members16a and 16b.

In order to insure easy relative sliding of projecting arms 29 overrecessed portions 26, it is preferred that at least the tips of arms 29engage a portion of slots 26 (FIG. 4) when the tube is not being used toremove a needle from a syringe and is in its original, unstressedconfiguration. Also advantageously, the inward edge of shoulder 34includes saw-tooth gripping means 36 (to be described more fully below)which correspond in configuration to saw-tooth gripping means 32 ongrasping member 16b.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2-4, the grasping members furtheradvantageously include vertical aligning means operatively associatedbetween them for further facilitating reciprocal slidable movementbetween the grasping members. In the disclosed embodiment, one of thegrasping members (here, grasping member 16b because its projecting arms29 slide over the corresponding recessed portions 26 of member 16a)includes a pair of legs (each indicated at 29a) which project outwardlyfrom arcuate wall 8b and extend generally parallel thereto to form aslot-like spacing (29b) between each projecting arm 29 and itscorresponding leg 29a. This slot serves to receive the top member 25 ofthe other grasping member and restrain it from vertical movement. Itwill thus be appreciated that the additional legs 29a help guide thegrasping members during their reciprocal movement relative to each otherby sliding directly below the bottom surface of top member 25 to preventvertical mis-alignment of the grasping members during use. Accordingly,legs 29a advantageously extend to about the same length as theprojecting arms 29 and are preferably member 25 as possible.Advantageously, the slots 29b are slightly flared to form a funnel-likeentry to facilitate receipt of top wall 25.

As preferably embodied, one of the grasping members (here graspingmember 16a) is provided with an integrally formed top closure member 38which is proportioned to releasably, lockably engage the other graspingmember 16b for sealing the open end of tube 12 when the device is notbeing used to remove a needle from a hypodermic syringe and is, instead,serving its function of safely storing previously removed needles. Tofacilitate injection molding of the grasping members, top closure member38 may be integrally formed with grasping member 16a by means of a"living hinge" attachment (indicated generally at 39).

As here embodied, the locking between top closure 38 and the othergrasping member 16b is provided by a combination of latch-like flangemembers. Specifically, the front end of top closure 38 includes adownwardly projecting flange 40 from which projects, towards livinghinge 39, a further projecting flange 42 which is spaced from the topclosure member 38 by a distance at least equal to the thickness ofprojecting flange 44 formed on the back end of the other closure member(here, member 16b). Releasable locking can thus be carried out bysqueezing the two grasping members 16a and 16b toward each other untilthe opposite facing edges of flanges 42 and 44 clear each other so thatthe top closure can lie flush against top wall member 27 on graspingmember 16b. As the squeezing force exerted on the grasping members isreleased, flange 44 will be received within the slot (indicated at 46)formed between flange 42 and top closure 38, thereby locking top closure38 against the other grasping member.

Advantageously and as preferably embodied, the releasable locking memberincludes ramp-like gusset member 47 to effectively form a sear and liplockable engagement means with flange 44. Thus, when closure is desired,one need only push down on cover member 38 until gusset 47 engages theedge of flange 44. Thereafter, continued downward pressure on cover 38causes flange 44 to move inwardly as it rides along the canted surfaceof gusset 47, causing the tube to become deformed slightly, until itreaches the edge of flange 42. After the oppositely facing edges offlanges 42 and 44 pass each other due to further continued downwardpressure on cover 38, flange 44 will "snap" into slot 46 due to theradially outward force exerted by the resilient tube member, therebylocking cover 38 to member 16b.

Also advantageously, top closure 38 preferably includes an additionalflange (indicated at 48) which projects from the opposite side of hinge39 for facilitating single hand operation of the entire device. Thus,when use of the device to remove a needle is desired, a person simplysqueezes the two grasping members toward each other until the oppositeedges of flanges 42 and 44 clear each other. The person can then use oneof his or her fingers (the index finger as shown in FIG. 6) to pull downon flange 48, thereby causing the other side of top closure 38 to berotated upwardly and expose the entry opening (indicated at 31 in FIG.4) to the device.

Similarly, when the device is to be closed, the person pushes up onflange 48 to rotate the other end of top closure down against the othergrasping member. The grasping members are squeezed together (either bymanual force, or through the action of canted gusset 47 urging flange 44Q inwardly, all as described above) until the opposite edges of flanges42 and 44 clear each other and flange 44 is aligned with slot 46,whereafter flange 44 snaps into, and becomes locked within, slot 46.

In order to maintain proper alignment between flanges 42 and 44,particularly when the device is in the locked configuration, both thetop closure 38 and the corresponding portion of top wall member 27 haveessentially the same configuration when seen from a top plan view. Inaddition, top closure 38 preferably has a pair of retaining tabs 50depending from its peripheral edge portions to maintain top closure 38and the opposite grasping member (16b) in fixed positions relative toeach other and thereby maintain their alignment while in the closedconfiguration. Thus, the locking provided between flanges 42 and 44cannot be overridden by sliding the top closure 38 and grasping member16b sideways relative to each other.

Turning then to FIGS. 5-7, there is shown a perspective view of theinvention illustrating its operation in the removal of a needle from ahypodermic syringe. To begin the needle removal operation, the devicecan be conveniently held in one hand while the needle is held in theother. The top closure 38 is first opened as described above to exposeentry opening 31. Once the top is opened, the user inserts the needlepoint through opening 31 until the ribbed portion (described below withreference to FIG. 7) of needle hub (51a) is about even with the sawtooth gripping members 32 and 36. The user then squeezes the graspingmember 16a and 16b toward each other (preferably by exerting thesqueezing force on walls 20a and 20b) until the needle hub is firmlygrasped between the two saw-tooth gripping members. The user thenremoves the hypodermic syringe from the needle by turning it in thedirection indicated by the arrow A in FIGS. 6 and 7.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exaggerated view of the engagement between theneedle hub and the saw-teeth of the grasping members. It will beappreciated that by using the left-to-right inclining saw-toothconfiguration shown herein, there is no need to squeeze hard on thegrasping members so long as the teeth engage the circular protrusions orribs (51b) formed on the needle hub. (If the sloped portion of the teethface the other direction, the needle hub might simply rotate as thesyringe is turned by the user.) Whether the needle is threaded into thesyringe or simply friction fit, the foregoing turning operation willcause separation of the needle and syringe.

Once the syringe is detached from the needle, the user simply releaseshis or her grip on the grasping members to allow them to return to theiroriginal positions due to the resilience of the tube member 13. Theneedle will simply drop, by its own weight, into the containment memberformed by tube 13 and end cap 14. When the needle is safely containedwithin the containment member, the user should seal the device byrotating cover member 38 back into its closed configurationsubstantially as described above. Again, the flange 48 provides aconvenient lever for the user to rotate the top closure 38 downwardly bya simple upward push on the bottom of flange 48, all in a single-handedoperation.

Referring back to FIG. 1, there is shown an additional feature accordingto the present invention. According to this aspect, a cup-like stand(indicated generally at 60) is provided for holding the device 10vertically upright. Stand 60 is particularly useful for enabling initialinsertion of a needle point into the device without the need for holdingthe device, a practice recommended by C.D.C.. (Once the needle point isinserted, the device is picked up by the user's other hand to performthe needle removal operation, etc.) Stand 60 includes a cylindrical cupportion 62 proportioned to receive the closed end of device 10 andsupport it so as to stand erect. The stand also includes a relativelyenlarged diameter disc 64 which provides a stand/base for the cupportions

It will thus be understood that when the device 10 is received withinstand 60, the device will be supported upright while, e.g., top closure38 is opened and the tip of a needle to be removed is initiallyinserted. Thereafter, the device can be operated by the other hand,substantially as described above.

The cup and disc can be formed as separate but interlocking parts topermit the cup portion to be mounted to a bracket (not shown) on, e.g.,a medical cart. To this end, a flange (indicated at 66) may be formed onthe cup to slide within an appropriately formed bracket. As shown inFigure I, only one side of flange 66 is visible but it will beunderstood that it is symmetrical.

Also advantageously and for convenience in transporting the device 10, apocket clip member (indicated at 54 in FIG. 3) may be formed on one ofthe grasping members. As here embodied, clip 54 is formed by arelatively short projection 54a and a relatively elongate flange 54bprojecting parallel to the second wall 20a of grasping member 16a. Itwill be found that the tube may be conveniently suspended from theuser's shirt pocket, belt or other piece of garment so that the needleremoval/storage device according to the present invention is readilyavailable whenever the user needs it.

The particular configuration of component parts for the presentinvention are particularly advantageous in that they can be made byconventional fabrication techniques and can be easily assembled withoutrequiring extraneous parts or operations. Thus, as indicated above, tubemember 13 can be formed by cutting sections from an extruded tube. Thegrasping members and the end cap can be injection molded from anyinjection moldable material, preferably one which is capable of forminga living hinge such as polypropylene.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the presentinvention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particularembodiments shown and described herein, and that variations may be madewhich are within the scope of the accompanying claims without departingfrom the principle of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages. Thus, for example, while the disclosed embodiment includesinterfitting guide means in the form of overlapping members (e.g., arms29 and recesses 26 plus legs 29a), this arrangement is advantageous fromthe standpoint of facilitating molding but any guide/restraining meansmay be used which achieve the purposes set out herein. Similarly, anyreleasable locking means between cover 38 and grasping member 16b may beused, but a sear-and-lip type arrangement is preferred because of itsease of operation.

What is claimed is:
 1. A needle removal and storage device for removingneedles from hypodermic needle/syringe assemblies and automaticallyreceiving and safely storing removed needles within the device,comprising:a storage/containment member which is closed at one end andproportioned to receive used needles; and a top assembly at the open endof the storage/containment member and providing an opening to receive aneedle and its hub portion, said top assembly including a pair ofgrasping members, said grasping members being mounted directly togenerally opposite sides of the storage/containment member at its openend, said grasping members being proportioned to receive the hub portionof the needle to be removed from its syringe yet to provide substantialclosure of said open end, said device being adapted to permit saidgrasping members to constrict said opening when squeezed together by aperson holding said device so as to grasp the needle hub at its ribbedportion for removal of the needle from its syringe, such that when aneedle is inserted and received within the opening of said top assembly,a person may grasp the needle hub by squeezing said grasping members andremove the hypodermic syringe from the needle, whereafter the grasp onthe needle may be released to permit the needle to drop vertically intothe storage/containment member, needle point first, for automatic safestorage of used needles until the entire device is ultimately disposedof.
 2. A needle removal and storage device for removing needles fromhypodermic needle/syringe assemblies and automatically receiving andsafely storing removed needles within the device, comprising:astorage/containment member which is closed at one end and open at theother end and proportioned to receive used needles; and a top assemblyat the open end of the storage containment member and providing anopening to receive a needle and its hub portion, said top assemblyincluding a pair of grasping members mounted to generally opposite sidesof the storage/containment member at its open end, and proportioned toreceive the hub portion of the needle to be removed from its syringe,said grasping members adapted to be moved toward and away from eachother in generally reciprocating vice-like fashion such that when aneedle is inserted and received within the opening of said top assembly,a person may squeeze the grasping members to constrict said opening soas to grasp the needle hub at its ribbed portion for removal of thehypodermic syringe from the needle, whereafter the grasp on the needlemay be released to permit the needle to drop vertically into thestorage/containment member, needle point first, for automatic safestorage of used needles until the entire device is ultimately disposedof, said storage/containment member being generally flexible andresilient at its open end to permit said grasping members to be urgedtowards each other yet to resiliently bias said grasping members awayfrom each other after the grasping force is released.
 3. A deviceaccording to claim 2 wherein said storage member comprises a generallytubular member made of a pliable and resilient plastic material.
 4. Adevice according to claim 3 wherein said closed end of said storagechamber is formed by force-fitting a cup-like end cap into one end ofsaid tubular member, said end cap being proportioned to fit snuglywithin the interior walls of the tube-like storage member to form asecure force fit, and said end cap being fully received and enclosedwithin the exterior walls of the tubular member to prevent removal ofthe end cap.
 5. A device according to claim 3 wherein said graspingmembers include interfitting guide means proportioned and positioned tooverlap each other at least during the needle removal operation so as toprevent a loss of grip on the needle while the needle is being separatedfrom the syringe.
 6. A device according to claim 5 wherein saidinterfitting guide means overlap each other even when said device is notbeing squeezed to remove a needle to minimize the opening providedbetween said grasping members to the interior of said storage member. 7.A device according to claim 6 wherein said interfitting guide portionsinclude at least one projecting arm portion formed on one of saidgrasping members and a correspondingly proportioned recessed portionformed in the other grasping member, each said arm portion and each saidrecessed portion being adapted for reciprocating slidable relativemovement when said grasping members are squeezed toward each other andreleased to move away from each other.
 8. A device according to claim 7which includes a pair of said projecting arm members formed on said onegrasping member and a pair of said recessed portions formed on saidother grasping member, said projecting arm members providing anotch-like cut out therebetween to permit insertion of a needle andneedle hub to be removed from a syringe, and wherein said two recessedportions define a raised shoulder portion which is proportioned to fitwithin the notch-like cut out formed between the two projecting armmembers.
 9. A device according to claim 8 wherein said notch-like slotand said raised shoulder have oppositely facing grasping edges which areformed with saw tooth gripping means for securely grasping the needlehub of the needle to be removed from its syringe.
 10. A device accordingto claim 2, wherein said top assembly also includes closure means forsecuring the needles within the storage/containment member andpreventing access into the storage member.
 11. A device according toclaim 10 wherein said closure member comprises a closure panel formedintegrally with one of said grasping members and attached thereto by aliving hinge-type connection.
 12. A device according to claim 11,wherein said top closure member further includes releasable lockingmeans for releasably lockably engaging the other grasping member to holdsaid top member securely closed over the open end of the storage memberwhen said device is not being used for removal of a needle.
 13. A deviceaccording to claim 12, wherein said releasable locking means comprise afirst flange formed on said top closure member and a second flangeprojecting from the other grasping member, said first flange spaced fromsaid closure member by a distance at least equal to about the thicknessof said second flange to permit said second flange to be capturedbetween said first flange and said top closure member.
 14. A deviceaccording to claim 13, wherein said top closure member further includesa third flange projecting in a direction opposite that from said topclosure member relative to said living hinge to permit opening andclosing of said top closure member by simple finger manipulation by theuser to insure that the device can be fully operated when held in onehand while the needle/syringe assembly is held in the other hand.
 15. Adevice according to claim 13, wherein, said releasable locking meansfurther includes a gusset member on said first flange, said gussetmember providing a canted surface which engages said second flange toform a sear-and-lip type releasable locking.
 16. A device according toclaim 3, wherein each said grasping means includes a generally arcuatewall member and a second wall member spaced apart by a sufficientdistance to receive a wall portion of said tubular member therebetween,one of said wall members having a bead-like projection adapted to belockably received within an opening in said tubular member to securesaid grasping member to said tubular member.
 17. A device according toclaim 2, which further includes cup-like stand means for holding saiddevice upright to permit initial insertion of a needle point into saidopening provided by said top assembly without requiring a person to holdthe device.